ثم بعد وفاة عمر بن عبد العزيز رضي الله عنه وفي خلافة هشام بن عبد الملك عاد غيلان ينشط بدعوة القدرية، فقال له هشام: ” أنت تتكلم في القدر؟” قال: “نعم يا أمير المؤمنين، إن شئت اجمعني بشخص يناظرني”. فقال هشام: “من لهذا القدري؟ ” قالوا: “ليس له إلا الأوزاعي” وكان يسكن مشارف بيروت وهو من أكابر العلماء. الخليفة أرسل في طلبه من بيروت إلى دمشق جمعه في مجلس واحد معه فقال: “إن أُقيمت عليه الحجة نقطع رأسه”. فتكلم غيلان نطق بعقيدة القدرية، قال عنه الأوزاعي: “كافر، ورب الكعبة يا أمير المؤمنين” غلبه، فقال غيلان: “أصابتني دعوة ذلك الرجل الصالح” يعني عمر بن عبد العزيز. قَطَعَ يَديهِ وَرِجلَيهِ ثُمَّ قَطِع رأسه وَعَلَقَهُ على باب دمشق ثلاثة أيام حتى يعرف أَنَّ هذا لا يحمل عقيدة أهل السنة والجماعة بل عقيدة مخالفة لها.

Then after the death of ^Umar Ibn ^Abdul-^Aziz, may Allah raise his rank, and during the Caliphate of Hisham Ibn ^Abdul-Malik, Ghaylan became again active in calling for the belief of the Qadariyyah. Hisham called on him and said: “Are you talking about the matter of Destining?” He said: “Yes, O Amir of the Believers; if you wish let me meet with whoever would debate me.” Hisham said: “Who would debate this one who carries the creed of the Qadariyyah?” The people said: “Al-Awza^iyy”.

Al-Awza^iyy used to live in the outskirts of Beirut; he was among the highest ranking scholars. The Caliph called upon Al-Awza^iyy to come from Beirut to Damascus. He made them meet in one session and he said: “If a proof will be produced to discredit his belief we will cut his head off.” Ghaylan then uttered the creed of the Qadariyyah. Al-Awza^iyy said: “He is a blasphemer O, Amir of the Believers.” He defeated him. Ghaylan then said: “I was hit with the supplication of that righteous man”, he meant ^Umar Ibn ^Abdul-^Aziz. His hands and legs were cut off, then his head was cut off and hanged on the gate of Damascus for three days so that it will be known that this one does not carry the Creed of Ahlus-Sunnah wal Jama^ah, but rather a creed which disagrees with it.